Category Archives: Fruits and Vegetables

Developing healthy eating habits isn’t as confusing or as restrictive as many people think.Take a few minutes to identify the habits you wish to change. Do you pack a wholesome lunch, only to be distracted by fast or junk food places around your work? Do you provide healthy lunches for your kids, but at the end of the day find them smashed in the bottom of their backpack? It is important to be realistic about yourself and your family’s likes and dislikes. It is unlikely that anyone can switch from hamburgers and French fries to tofu and whole grains in one day. Prepare foods that support your health, vitality, and optimum weight.

Here are 10 quick tips that can help you eat healthy on a budget.

1. Plan Your Meals
When it comes to saving money at the grocery store, planning is essential. Use one day each week to plan your meals for the upcoming week. Then, make a grocery list of what you need.

Also, make sure to scan your fridge and cabinets to see what you already have. There are usually a lot of foods hidden in the back that can be used.

Only plan to purchase what you know you’re going to use, so that you don’t end up throwing away a lot of what you buy.

2. Stick To Your Grocery List
Once you’ve planned your meals and made your grocery list, stick to it. It’s very easy to get sidetracked at the grocery store, which can lead to unintended, expensive purchases. As a general rule, try to shop the perimeter of the store first. This will make you more likely to fill your cart with whole foods.

The middle of the store often contains the most processed and unhealthy foods. If you find yourself in these aisles, look to the top or bottom of the shelves rather than straight ahead. The most expensive items are usually placed at eye level.

Additionally, there are now many great grocery list apps to help you shop. Some of them can even save favorite items or share lists between multiple shoppers. Using an app is also a great way to make sure you don’t forget your list at home.

3. Cook at Home
Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out. Make it a habit to cook at home, rather than eating out at the last minute. Generally, you can feed an entire family of 4 for the same price as buying food for one or two people at a restaurant.

Some people find it best to cook for the entire week on the weekends, while others cook one meal at a time. By cooking yourself, you also gain the benefit of knowing exactly what is in your food.

4. Cook Large Portions and Use Your Leftovers
Cooking large meals can save you both time and money. Leftovers can be used for lunches, in other recipes or frozen in single-portion sizes to be enjoyed later on.

Leftovers usually make very good stews, stir-fries, salads and burritos. These types of food are especially great for people on a budget.

5. Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry
If you go to the grocery store hungry, you are more likely to stray from your grocery list and buy something on impulse.

When you’re hungry, you often crave foods that aren’t good for you or your budget. Try to grab a piece of fruit, yogurt or other healthy snack before you go to the store.

6. Buy Whole Foods
Some foods are way cheaper in less processed form. Whole grains, like brown rice and oats, are also cheaper per serving than most processed cereals.

The less processed foods are also often sold in larger quantities, and yield more servings per package. Whole foods are often less expensive than their processed counterparts. You can also buy them in larger quantities.

7. Stock up on Sales
If you have favorite products or staples that you use frequently, you should stock up on them when they’re on sale. If you’re sure that it’s something you’ll definitely use, you may as well stock up and save a little money.

Just make sure that it will last for a while and won’t expire in the meantime. It will not save you any money to buy something you’ll end up throwing out later on.

8. Shop For Produce That Is In Season
Local produce that is in season is generally cheaper. It is also usually at its peak in both nutrients and flavor. Produce that is not in season has often been transported halfway around the world to get to your store, which is not good for either the environment or your budget. Also, buy produce by the bag if you can. That is usually a lot cheaper than buying by the piece.

If you buy more than you need, you can freeze the rest or incorporate it into next week’s meal plans.

9. Buy in Bulk
Buying some foods in bulk quantities can save you a lot of money. Grains, such as brown rice, millet, barley and oats, are all available in bulk. They also keep for a long time, if you store them in airtight containers. This is also true for beans, lentils, some nuts and dried fruit.

These are all staple foods that are relatively inexpensive and can be used in a variety of healthy meals.

10. Pack Your Lunch
Eating out is very expensive, especially if done regularly. Packing your lunch, snacks, drinks and other meals is less expensive and way healthier than eating out.

If you have adapted to cooking large meals at home (see tip #4), you’ll always have a steady lunch to bring with you without any additional effort or cost. It does require some planning, but it should save you a lot of money at the end of the month.

Ask most people for a list of high protein foods and they will probably mention meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. However, if you are a vegan or vegetarian these sources are not normally part of your everyday diet.Many people think that getting enough protein while on a vegetarian or vegan diet can be difficult at best. You just have to adjust what you are eating to ensure that you are incorporating enough plant protein into your meals. Plant protein are quality protein that you should add in your every meal.

Proteins are found in all living cells and they are sometimes called the “building blocks of the body” as they are essential for growth and repair. However, we don’t necessarily need enormous quantities of protein in our diet – a well balanced diet contains all the macronutrients, which includes fats and carbohydrates as well as protein.

So if you are eliminating animal products from our diet where can you find protein sources? Below is a list of foods that are suitable for this situation.

Quinoa:
There is not enough good things that you can say about quinoa. It is a super food and it is loaded with protein. You can switch out quinoa in any meal that calls for rice. You can add some to pancake batter to get a little extra flavor, consistency and some added protein.

Beans:
How many smoothies are you making with beans? Very likely none! Why not? You can add some high protein (preboiled) beans into your favorite smoothie and get an instant pop or protein. They will not change the flavor of the smoothie but will add a little thickness. It is a great way to add protein to your meal!

Kale:
Kale has been making the news quite regularly in regards to its many healthy qualities, and protein is definitely among them. It’s not everyday that you find a vegetable that provides almost a tenth of what you need each day in a single serving.

Seeds:
Chia seeds and hemp seeds are ridiculously high in protein. Sprinkle them liberally on salads, dressed greens and in smoothies. Just use them as much as you can, to get a high dose of protein in your meals. Some other seeds that you can use to sprinkle in your meals are sesame seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Nuts:
Nuts are excellent sources of protein. Eat a handful of nuts before a meal or whenever you feel like snacking. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachio, cashew are some healthy nuts that you can benefit of their protein content.

Spinach:
Perhaps this is why Popeye ate so much spinach and got stronger as a result. Spinach is an excellent source of protein for a vegetable, which can help you build lean muscle when mixed with resistance training.

When you eat spinach, you don’t need to focus on any one feature it has, you can simply be content knowing that you’re eating one of the most nutrient-dense veggies on the planet. It’s packed with minerals and phytonutrients that will help your body in many ways.

Organic sweet peas:
Add sweet peas to your meals, smoothies and wherever else you can stick them in. They pack a wallop of protein at 8 grams a cup.

Juice fasting can be a powerful way of cleansing our body. There is no faster and more effective way to eliminate a host of toxins that you have accumulated for decades through processed foods, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs and other environmental contaminants.

Before movies like Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead came out and popularized juice fasting for rapid physical healing, rejuvenation, and weight loss, juice fasting has been used to experience higher states of awareness, mental clarity and deep spiritual realizations. No matter what your intent is, juice fasting is guaranteed to produce massive changes in your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. In this blog post I am going to briefly discuss some important key points of juice fasting.

What is Juice Fasting?

Juice fasting is a type of fasting and “detox diet” in which a person consumes only fruit and vegetable juices. Being available only in digestible carbohydrates, these foods are digested rapidly. People choose to undergo juice fasts for various reasons and via various methods.

Juicing at Home vs. Buying from the Store

It’s easy to make your own juices–just buy a juicer, fruits and vegetables and some mason jars for storage, and you’re all set. But isn’t it easier to just buy a bunch of juices from the store, or through a cleansing program online? Sure it is, but it’s a lot pricier, and sometimes not always the healthiest route to go. Many bottled juices sold in grocery stores have extremely high sugar contents and artificial additives that almost cancel out their healthfulness of juice fasting entirely. If it’s freshly juiced at the store though, then it’s most likely pure juice with nothing else added. Just be sure to check the ingredients and double check with someone who works there.

Juice cleanses can last as long as you’d like them to. But if you’re just starting out, you might want to limit your first fast to four – five juices a day for two or three days so your body and mind have time to adjust. After all, it’ll probably be the first time you live off of liquids for a long period of time. And if you choose to do a second juice fast in the future, extending it to one week wouldn’t hurt.

But listen to your body. If you feel faint, constantly hungry or nauseous, you may want to consult a doctor to find out if juice cleansing is right for you.

How Much Juice Should I Drink During a Juice Fast?

Many people make the mistake of not drinking enough juice. Not drinking enough juice can cause very unpleasant healing reactions and ravenous hunger. This is not about hunger or deprivation – this is about nourishing and healing the body. Drink as much juice as desired. Drink at least a gallon per day, and more if there is hunger. If there is hunger, it means not enough nutritionally based juice is being consumed. Ideally, it should actually feel as if one is drinking too much juice. So remember, when it comes to juice fasting, more is better.

Most apples are great for cooking, whether you’re making applesauce, crisps, crumbles, or cake. In general, the apple’s sweetness pairs nicely with classic dishes and can be used as a substitute sweetener.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your apples.

Go for firm
When buying apples, choose ones without bruises or soft, mushy spots. They should be firm for their specific variety (a McIntosh will not be as firm as a Granny Smith).

Wrapped in the dark
To keep apples for an extended period of time, wrap each apple in newspaper (don’t use paper with colored ink), and then store in a dark, cool place like the cellar or the garage. To keep apples in the fridge, place them in a perforated plastic bag and then in the crisper. Do not store bruised or cut apples since that will accelerate the spoilage of the other stored apples.

A touch of lemon
If you’re slicing apples and don’t want the exposed pieces of flesh to turn brown, sprinkle lemon juice over them.

Sweet and tart
When baking a pie, use a mix of sweet and tart apples to obtain a balanced flavor.

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DISCLAIMER

Nothing stated here should be considered as medical advice for dealing with a health problem. You should consult your health care professional for individual guidance for specific health problems. This blog is for informational, entertainment and educational purposes only, and is simply a collection of information in the public domain. Information conveyed herein is based on pharmacological and other records - both ancient and modern. No claims whatsoever can be made as to the specific benefits accruing from the use of any herb or nutrients.